Early Colonists

EARLY COLONISTS.

AN INTERESTING BOOK.

By A. T. Saunders.

17 September 1921

In the Public Library is a little book printed in 1882 for private circulation, without the author's name and with initials (in nearly all cases wrong ones) instead of names. Internal evidence shows that the writer was the second daughter of Mr. William Giles, who succeeded Mr. David McLaren as manager of the South Australian Company. 

This well-written little book deals with events from 1837 to 1845, beginning in England, when Mr. William Giles, of Montpelier square, Brompton, London, decided to emigrate to Australia. His first idea was to go to Western Australia; but by good luck he decided upon our State. 

In May, 1837, by the ship Hartley, of 323 tons (Capt. Thomas Fewson), the Giles family sailed from England, and they arrived at Kangaroo Island in October, 1837, after a passage of 150 days, including 21 days in Capetown. Mr. Giles was born on December 27, 1791, and was twice married. He brought with him six sons and three daughters by his first wife, and his second wife had a child on board the Hartley a few days before the ship arrived at Capetown. In addition to the "young infant" mentioned by the author, fifty emigrants and 12 male and three female adults "of a superior class" (in official language); came as passengers by the Hartley, including the Rev. T. Q. Stow and family, and J. B. Shepherdson and family and the Randell family, including the Murray pioneers. 

Miss Jane Isabel Giles, known as "Minnie," was 13 when the Hartley arrived, so I assume her book is largely written from memory. Mr. McLaren, who is called John Knox, was on the island when the Hartley arrived, and welcomed the Giles family, who landed at Kingscote, the Hartley going on to Glenelg. Mr. C. S. Hare received the Giles family politely, but coolly, as Mr. Giles was to take the position he held in the South Australian Company. A good description is given of Mr. Hare, who is called "Bombastes." Mr. Hare became a well known man, and died here 22/7/1882. The Register gave a long obituary notice of him.

—Primitive Conditions.—

The Giles family were fortunate in that from the first they had a house—-small though it was—for in Adelaide for months (and in winter) many had no shelter but tents, as Miss Giles describes. There was only one horse on the island, and Mr. Giles bought from Capt. Fewson a milch cow, which was the only cow on the island. There were several goats, and an amusing account is given of how "Bombastes" milked his goats on the kitchen table. There were wallabies on the island, but no kangaroos. 

Whally, the European King of the island and his mites "Puss" and "Polecat" are described, also Professor Menge. The lastnamed account agrees with that of Surgeon Leigh. Menge is said to have gone from Kangaroo Island to Mount Crawford, and lived in a tree. 

Another German, Sprivogel, at a dinner on the island, became exhilarated, and said some unpleasant things about Englishmen, which caused a commotion.

-Entertaining Governor Hindmarsh.-

In June, 1838, H.M.S. Pelorus arrived at Kingscote, bringing Governor Hindmarsh and suite. There is an amusing description of the difficulty the Giles family had to provide sufficient and suitable food for the distinguished visitors. Governor Hindmarsh is described as of middle height, frank, genial, affable. The sailor with him had lost an eye, and wore a glass one. George Milner Stephen, who was Acting Governor, after Governor Hindmarsh left, in July, 1838, and who married a daughter of Governor Hindmarsh, is described as a good-looking, dapper, little gentleman, light curly hair and whiskers, small in every way, wore fours in ladies' boots a 'skit' said, plays the guitar, and has plenty of small talk."  The Private Secretary George Stevenson—the editor of The Register—said to be "powerfully made and not handsome in features." 

Mr. Giles was made Resident Magistrate for Kingscote July 11, 1838. A Van Dieman's Land convict, having been captured and again escaped from the Kingscote Gaol, on being recaptured was put into a 300-gallon butt for safe custody, but by some connivance escaped therefrom and got away in a whaler. Meantime Governor Gawler had arrived. Another child was born to Mr. Giles on the island, and died, there. 

In August, 1839, the family left for Port Adelaide, and landed at the "old port" August, 1839. They stayed at Anthony's Hotel, which was built of wood, but clean and well kept. A description of Mr. Stow's first church is given—walls of pine, thatched roof, calico windows. The family settled down in a wooden five roomed cottage at the east end of Rundle street, but soon after moved to one of the Tavistock houses, which were of brick, and among the best in Adelaide. A picnic at Gleeson's—GleevileBeaumont —is described, and also a bullock dray jaunt to Crafers Hotel, and a walk there from to the summit of Mount Lofty.

—Dissenters and Weddings.—

Then we have a wedding at Trinity, at 8 a.m. In those days Dissenters were very low in the eyes of the law, while the youngest Anglican, Catholic, Quaker, or Jew clergyman could perform marriages. Dissenters were barred, and had to be married in Trinity, till Mr. Drummond, in defiance of the law, performed marriages, with a curious result, as will be shown. Mary, eldest daughter of William Giles, Esq., late of Montpelier Square, Brompton, was married at Trinity Church on Thursday morning, June 25, 1840, by the Rev. C. B. Howard, to Josiah Partridge, Esq., solicitor, late of Stroud, Gloucester. Mrs. Partridge was known in the family as Myra. Her husband practised alone and also as senior partner of Partridge and Taylor. Miss Giles gives a racy description of these marriages and other social engagements. Miss Bathgate, who kept a boarding house in Adelaide from 1839 till it became Hornabrook'e York Hotel (now the Grand Central) in 1849, is described just a little satirically. The Register (8/8/69) records the death of Miss Bathgate in London on 5/6/1869.

—Opening of "New" Port Adelaide.—

There is an amusing and interesting account of the opening of "new" Port Adelaide, October, 1840, and of Mrs. Gawler landing on the wharf the first cargo—a box of tea. The Stow Church in Freeman street is noted. The Giles and Stow families were very friendly. A visit to Klemzig is recorded, and mention is made of Mr. Gouger's house, corner of Hill street and Strangways terrace, afterwards Younghusband's, and now a hospital. On May 18, 1842, in Rundle street, by the Rev. T. Q. Stow, Alfred Watts, Esq., of South terrace, was married to Jane Isabella, second daughter of William Giles, Esq., J.P., the bride being the "Minnie" of the Giles family, and the writer of the book. 

Mr. Watts in 1839 was in the office of the S.A. Company, and became a partner in the firm of Philip Levi & Co., which firm was ruined by the drought of 1865, and had to assign, but by 1872 had paid 20/ in the pound, and had a surplus. Mr. Watts was related to Mr. Percy Wells, and the firm of Watts & Wells was formed, which built the Cape Jaffa Lighthouse, or supplied the material for it. Mr. Watts sat in Parliament for Flinders from 1868 till 1875, and died about 1880. 

Mr. and Mrs. Watts had no family; they lived at Leabrook, near Burnside, for some 15 years. There was a curious error regarding their marriage. Governor Grey promptly did justice to the Dissenters, and by Act No. 12 of invalidated marriages by Dissenting ministers "before the date of this Act," March or April, 1842, and empowered Dissenting and other ministers to marry. This Act did not come into force till June 1, 1842, and, of course, marriages by dissenting ministers in April and May, 1842, were invalid. This was not discovered until Mr. Watts noticed it after his marriage, but it made no difference to Mr. and Mrs. Watts, and by Act No. 18 of 1852 the error was rectified.  Sir A. H. Davis, of Moore Farm, wrote the bridal song, and James Chambers drove them to Mr. Stephens's house at Marino, where they spent their honeymoon. 

Mr. Gouger's removed from Strangways terrace to South Adelaide, and some verses of his are given . There is a good description in rhyme of the first four Governors in the book by A. H. Davis, and some verse by Nathaniel Hales. Girls married very young in Adelaide about 1840. Mrs. Watts was only 18 when married, and she mentions a bride of 15 and her sad end

—Interesting Letters.—

Lena, the third daughter, evidently married Mr. G. M. Waterhouse, who was Premier of New Zealand after he had been Premier of South Australia; but I have no account of the marriage, nor have I seen a full obituary of Mr. Waterhouse, who died in 1906. In the book are a number of interesting letters from Lena, recounting her trip to Europe and America, saying they sailed from Adelaide in the V--, 1854; and returned in the N-, 1856. The Register shows that (20/12/53) the ship Victoria, 523 tons, cleared from Port Adelaide for London, and that among the passengers were Mr. and Mrs. Waterhouse, and that (12/4/56) there arrived at Port Adelaide the Norman, with Mr. and Mrs. G. M. Waterhouse on board. 

The Register (12/5/62) announces the death of Mr. William Giles at his residence, Beaumont, aged 70, leaving 10 sons, 6 daughters, and hearty 30 grandchildren. Mr. G.A. Anstey was evidently very friendly with the Giles family, and in The Register (20/2/99), the obituary of Mr. Thomas Giles is given. He was the Giles of Anstey & Giles, so well known in the early days and married a daughter of Capt. O'Halloran, by whom he had four sons, Drs. Anstey and Henry Giles, T. O'Halloran Giles, and Eustace Giles. 

The book describes Governor Grey and his wife, and mentions the loss of the two passengers per the Africaine, who were landed on the island, with others, at their own request, in order to walk to Kingscote. They never arrived and their remains were not found. In The Register (1/5/66) is a letter from Charles Nantes, the then sole survivor of the Africaine party of 1836—respecting some remains then recently found. 

Mr. Anstey built a cottage on North terrace in 1839, opposite the School of Mines site, and I think that Mr. J. M. Phillipson afterwards owned it. This cottage was for years occupied by two lawyers named Hance, father and son. The Register (28/1/67) describes a fire in the roof, which fire I well remember. Galvanized iron had been put over the thatch, and the thatch caught fire by some means and was put out with difficulty, as the iron had to be removed. Any one who is interested in the early history of this State will enjoy Mr. Watts's book, and I fancy that the facts in this account will help such a one to read the book with more pleasure. Anyway, I hope so.